# Template

An e-signature template is a reusable document with its signature fields and signer roles already set, so each new send only needs names and emails.

## In plain words

If you send the same agreement again and again, placing the same fields every time is a waste. A template saves the PDF together with where each field goes and who fills it. Signers are described as roles, such as "Client" and "Company", rather than as named people.

When you start a document from a template, you fill the roles with real people. Everything else is already done.

## An example

A design agency sends a [statement of work](/templates/statement-of-work) to every new client. They save it once as a template with two roles: the client signs first, the agency second. Each new project is one call with two names and two emails.

## How it shows up in docuinked

In the web app, upload a PDF, place fields in the editor and save it as a template with its signer roles. Your team can then use it from the app.

From code or an agent, call `list_templates` to see what exists and `create_from_template` to make a draft. Signers fill the roles in the order the template lists them. Nothing is sent until you call `send_document`.

```
curl https://docuinked.com/v1/templates/TEMPLATE_ID/documents \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $DOCUINKED_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: sow-client-482" \
  -d '{"title": "SOW for Client 482",
       "signers": [{"name": "Dana Reed", "email": "dana@example.com"},
                   {"name": "Sam Ortiz", "email": "sam@example.com"}]}'
```

Templates are a good fit for agents. An agent that picks from fixed templates can't invent contract terms. A person still approves each live send. See [approvals](/docs/approvals).

## Common confusions

**A template is not a form.** docuinked templates are fixed PDFs with fields. They don't fill contract text from data. If you need per-customer wording, build the PDF in your own system and send it with `create_document`, using anchors or text tags to place fields.

**Our template pages are not contracts.** The [template guides](/templates/mutual-nda) on this site explain what a document usually contains. They are not legal text to copy.

## Related terms

- [Envelope](/glossary/envelope)
- [Signing order](/glossary/signing-order)
- [Bulk send](/glossary/bulk-send)

## Common questions

### Can I edit a template after documents were sent from it?

Changing a template affects new drafts only. Documents already sent keep the exact file and fields they were sent with.

### Can a template have optional signers?

A template lists fixed roles. If a role is sometimes unused, keep two templates, or create the document directly with `create_document` and the signers you need.

### How does an agent know which template to use?

It calls `list_templates`, which returns each template with its signer roles. Clear template names help the agent pick the right one.